Could sewer district hiring policies be headed to court?

Hamilton County Commissioners are growing increasingly frustrated with Cincinnati leaders over which entity gets to set hiring policies for the Metropolitan Sewer District (MSD).

Commissioner Greg Hartmann is proposing the two sides come up with inclusion goals, incentive programs, and a way to support apprenticeship programs.

"I'm prepared to go to court if that's what it takes," says Hartmann. The local hiring policy passed by City Council is illegal and the responsible bidder program is flat out discrimination against non-union shops."

Fellow Commissioner Todd Portune also has some ideas on how to work out the issue with the city.

Board president Chris Monzel says he supports some kind of combination plan but what's most important for him is getting a firm ruling as to whether the city of county sets hiring policy for the sewer district. Commissioners firmly believe they set MSD policy.

"I think it's going to take, honestly, someone higher than us to lay that out and say if that's true or not," says Monzel.